Former Preschool Worker Accused of Sexual Assault

A Belvidere preschool teacher's aide is arrested for sexually assaulting a student. Seventeen-year-old Samuel Feffer worked at the Belvidere Early Learning Center.

Complete shock: that's the way Belvidere Early Learning Center workers describe their reaction.

"It's very disappointing," says Terry Egan, president of Belvidere Early Learning Center.

Seventeen-year-old Samuel Feffer, a teacher's aide at the pre-school, is accused of sexually assaulting a student on the premises. The Belvidere High School student had been working there since September, just a few hours a week after his classes.

"It's a horrible shock, and all of us are here because we're parents and we love children and we want to care for them in a safe way, and it's very disturbing," says Egan.

Before Feffer was hired the Belvidere Early Learning Center conducted the required background check, drug tests and asked for references. He passed all of those things, so workers are still wondering how this could've happened.

"There's going to be times when people slip through the cracks, obviously with the age of this offender there wasn't a lot of history there. It's hard to do a background on an offender that young," says Sgt. David Ernest of the Belvidere Police Department.

Detective Ernest was notified about the incident by St. Anthony's Hospital. The victim's parents brought the child there after the child complained of pain.

"We're not sure if this is an isolated incident or not. The charges are for one victim but the investigation is still ongoing," explains Ernest.

Police are encouraging parents at the daycare to contact them if they hear anything suspicious from their children. Meanwhile, the daycare is looking over all of their policies and procedures to make sure this never happens again.

Feffer is being held at the Boone County Jail on $100,000 bond. If he’s found guilty, Feffer will face up to 30 years behind bars. As a convicted sex offender, Feffer would be required to register with the state for the rest of his life.

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